Local Guide ~ Akane Tanabe, a staff member of Hoshino Resort, Hoshino Resorts' Local Staff

Local Guide

Tanabe Akane

We love fun!

Ms. Tanabe is a fast and efficient worker who is respected by everyone around her. In her private life, she loves to have fun and is very active. With her lovely smile, she has won the hearts of store clerks in Karuizawa. She has many good friends who are well versed in Karuizawa. On days when she has to work, she makes homemade kyaraben for lunch. She is also an excellent cook.

Karuizawa Hotel Bleston Court: This elegant resort hotel is a favorite of Karuizawa's vacationers. The ingredients nurtured by the forest and water are used to create one-of-a-kind French cuisine. The one-of-a-kind flavors sublimated by Karuizawa's culture evoke a quiet sensation.

Property website

Local Guide FAQ

What do you recommend in the Karuizawa area (places, experiences, food)?

1] Tsuruya Karuizawa, the kitchen of Karuizawa townspeople. It is a well-known supermarket in Nagano, but it is also a good place to buy souvenirs such as jams and coffee! My favorite jam is "Chestnut Butter" and my favorite coffee is "Shinshu Matsumoto Blend.

2】 "Karuizawa Hatsuji Ichiba" is an agricultural products direct sales shop that opened last year. The shop sells a wide variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables. The freshness and prices are surprising. The selection of products diminishes in the afternoon, so it is best to visit in the morning. The adjacent Restaurant is also home to Karuizawa's popular "Atelier de Fromage," where I usually enjoy a cheese soft serve on my way home from shopping.

Please sneak in some hole-in-the-wall places that you know because you live there.: The crepes at Coffee Kuro Gung on Karuizawa Ekimae Dori are superb. The glutinous dough is filled with plenty of cream, but I can easily eat it for dessert after lunch. There are dozens of options on the menu, but we recommend ordering one "with whipped cream" for an Insta-worthy experience. The pure white whipped cream is topped with seasonal fruit! It is served inside the store during the cold season, or on a bench in front of the store on a sunny day.

Where did you travel to last year and with whom?: I went to Aomoriya by Hoshino Resorts for my mother's birthday. She is from Iwate Prefecture, so it is right next door, but it was the first time I had been there outside of a club tournament, so it was a new experience for me. It was a nice refreshing experience, relaxing in the hot spring and talking with my mother about many things over drinks in the lounge. When I was a student, I used to take busy trips to many tourist spots in a short period of time, so this was my first mother-daughter trip in a long time and I learned a new way to enjoy traveling.

What do you do on your days off?: Popular cafes and Restaurants are also more relaxed on weekdays, so I often go out for lunch with friends. When I feel I don't get enough exercise, I walk a lot while window shopping at an outlet store, or I just sweat it out in the sauna!

Is there anything you always take with you on a trip?: Masks. It is often dry in vehicles, so many people wear masks. In my case, I almost always sleep during transportation, so a mask is indispensable to hide my sleeping face!